Retail industry sets its sights on mobile payments

Retail event will highlight the promising future of the mobile payments space

One of the retail industry’s major conventions is coming to New York and mobile payments may be one of the highlights of the event. The National Retail Federation will be hosting the event, as usual, and the organization suggests that mobile payments may be a significant focus of many companies attending the event. Retailers have become more interested in the mobile space over the past few years, largely due to growing smartphone penetration. In order to better engage consumers, these companies have become very supportive of mobile commerce.

Rewards program may encourage consumers to make use of new payment services

The mobile payments space is still quite young, but it is growing quickly. A growing number of retailers have begun to find that engaging mobile consumers with new payment services has been successful. In order to continue finding success, however, retailers will have to add value to their mobile offerings. Approximately 78% of consumers noted that they would make use of mobile payments services more often if they had access to some sort of rewards program through these services.

Security remains a major concern for consumers

Many consumers have shown favor for mobile payments because of the convenience that it represents. The problem, however, is security. Consumers have fears that their financial and personal information may be at risk if they were to use a mobile payment service. Retailers have been targeted in the past by those wishing to exploit consumer information, with some malicious groups focusing on mobile channels.

Retailers will have to take risks to find success in the mobile payments space

Retailers will have to find ways to ensure that consumer information is protected in order to find success in the mobile payments space. They will also have to find ways to add value to existing mobile payments services. Loyalty programs may be the best way to accomplish this, as consumers have shown great favor for these programs. The mobile payments space may thrive as a result of greater security and more valuable features being offered by retailers.